Our Services

OCDC implements The Creative Curriculum Infant, Toddler & Twos 3^rd Edition and The Creative Curriculum for Preschool 6^th Edition (English and Spanish).

The Creative Curriculum:

• Is the primary curriculum used to promote developmentally appropriate practices and strategies in the classroom. 
• Is research-based and aligns with the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework. 
• Provides guidance about culturally responsive ways of interacting with diverse children and families, including strategies and examples of how to ensure daily routines and activities are inclusive to all children including those with identified disabilities. 
• Provides guidance and strategies on how to provide development and learning individualization for all children, including dual-language learners and children with identified disabilities. 
• Promotes the foundational responsive relationship and interactions with infants and toddlers and the whole-child approach to education with emphasis on social and emotional development, which supports school and life readiness. 
• Supports the progression of learning towards school readiness and supports all domains of learning.   
• Is associated with 38 research-based learning objectives that observe, assess, and capture child outcome data. The objectives cover 10 areas of development and learning and enable teachers to see children’s development and learning progression throughout the duration of a program. 

For more information: Teaching Strategies.

OCDC implements the Second Step for Early Learning as a supplemental curriculum to provide additional support for social and emotional development in preschool classrooms.  Second Step invites teachers to use activities that promote the development of executive functioning skills crucial for school readiness. 

OCDC teaching staff utilizes the agency’s assessment tool, The My Teaching Strategies Gold (TSG) Online Assessment System to: 

1. Observe and document children’s development and learning over time and across six domains, 
2. Support, guide, and inform planning and instruction to meet children’s individual needs, 
3. Help identify children who might benefit from additional supports, adaptations or modifications, screening, or further evaluation, and
4. Report and communicate child development and learning progression with families and other stakeholders. OCDC utilizes the TSG Assessment System to assess child progress continuously throughout the program. 

Developmental Screenings

Staff support parents in completing The Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE2) developmental screenings for every child enrolled in the program. Screenings help parents know where their child is at in his or her development, and identifies which children may need extra support. If needed, children are referred to their local Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education programs for evaluation. 

For more information on the ASQ, visit Ages and Stages Questionnaires.

Disabilities Services

OCDC provides services for children of all abilities, including those identified as having a disability and/or special needs. Children experiencing disabilities have first priority for enrollment at OCDC. Our services to children with disabilities comply with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and other State and Federal laws. We believe that including children of all abilities helps all children learn and grow. If your child experiences a disability, your family will receive all activities and services provided, with any extra support needed. We work closely with Early Intervention/ Early Childhood Special Education programs and other community agencies to provide services that meet the special needs of your child. If you have concerns about your child’s development you are encouraged to contact their teacher for information about screening and referral. 

The following links provide parents and families information regarding support for children with suspected and/or confirmed disabilities:

• Who can I call to refer my child for services? (oregon.gov) English
• Who can I call to refer my child for services? Spanish language (oregon.gov) Spanish
• Oregon Department of Education : Do You Have Concerns About a Child’s Development : Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education : State of Oregon

Resources

OCDC supports parents in advocating for their children with special needs. Training, support, and referrals to advocacy organizations are available for all parents.

OCDC provides children and their families with the individualized learning support necessary to succeed in school. All early childhood program staff want to understand what young dual language learners (DLLs) need in order to thrive in Head Start and beyond.

Oregon Child Development Coalition (OCDC) believes that:

• Parents are the first teachers of language and culture for their children.
• When afforded the opportunity to access high quality language-enriched education, children make significant gains that are strongly predictive of school success.
• It is important to have a high quality language-rich curriculum that includes: vocabulary building, letter knowledge, phonological awareness, love of reading, thinking, and learning.
• Partnerships with parents promote the development of a common set of language-literacy strategies that forms a strong educational foundation for each child.
• Culture should be represented through listening, speaking, writing, and reading experiences.
• A strong foundation in oral language leads to success in children’s reading levels.
• The education of all staff and parents on language development and their role develops a strong oral language foundation for the future success of children.

OCDC prepares enrolled children for kindergarten in multiple ways. At OCDC we believe that school readiness is not just about children’s academic skills, it is also about the readiness of families and schools.

OCDC provides a broad range of services to families (including but not limited to parent education, medical and dental care for children, and services to pregnant women) that support overall family readiness for learning and growth. Every child receives a variety of learning experiences to foster intellectual, social, and emotional growth. Activities develop language, pre-reading and writing skills, and basic number concepts. Children learn about the world around them and how to work together. Classroom activities promote self-confidence and a passion for learning.

The USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program is a federally funded program for Head Start, Family Day Care Homes, and other programs which provide nutritious meals and snacks for OCDC children.

Our meals promote healthy eating behaviors and improve the quality of learning and care in our centers. OCDC menus are planned to provide the highest nutritional value possible to children, and also planned to meet the cultural habits of families served. New foods are also introduced to children through the menu. All food is prepared from scratch in OCDC’s kitchens. Fresh fruits and vegetables are used according to seasonal availability; breads and whole grains are used as much as possible. Milk is also served at every breakfast and lunch. Special dietary needs are also attended to. Many OCDC centers have “center gardens,” where families and children grow – then eat – the vegetables they planted. For the FDCH Providers we sponsor, we deliver nutrition education, ongoing support and financial reimbursement for the healthy meals they serve to the children in their care. This Institution is an equal opportunity provider.

The Oregon Child Development Coalition is recognized as a national leader in Head Start transportation because of the quality transportation services we provide to children in our program. The bus is not just a vehicle to transport children; it is a learning environment on wheels. Our staff interacts with the children using developmentally and culturally appropriate activities that are consistent with what is being taught in their classrooms. Safety and access to services for the families and their children is of primary importance to us.

OCDC Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMHC)

OCDC’s Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation model builds the capacity of families and professionals to help support and sustain healthy social and emotional development of young children.

IECMHC is a promotion and prevention-based approach that pairs a mental health consultant with adults who work with infants and young children in the different settings where they learn and grow, such as child care, preschool, home visiting, early intervention and their home. Staff and families have ongoing opportunities to connect, consult, and partner with OCDC’s RMHC and MHC to enhance their capacity to provide social-emotional well-being support for their families. Visit the IECMHC website to learn more about the work OCDC is doing in our classrooms, home visits, and in the community.

OCDC has adopted the Pyramid Model for Supporting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children framework. The Pyramid Model is a conceptual framework of evidence-based practices for promoting young children’s healthy social and emotional development.

The Parent, Family, and Community Engagement (PFCE) Framework

Parent and family engagement in Head Start/Early Head Start (HS/EHS) is about building relationships with families that support family well-being, strong relationships between parents and their children, and ongoing learning and development for both parents and children.

The Parent, Family, and Community Engagement (PFCE) Framework is a road map for progress in achieving the kinds of outcomes that lead to positive and enduring change for children and families. The PFCE Framework was developed in partnership with programs, families, experts, and the National Center on Parent, Family, and Community Engagement. It is a research-based approach to program change that shows how an agency can work together as a whole—across systems and service areas— to promote parent and family engagement and children’s learning and development.

For more information: National Center on Parent, Family and Community Engagement

Parents First as Teachers

Research suggests that the most important factor influencing a child’s life is engaged parents.
Children with engaged parents are more likely to be successful in school long-term and to avoid
substance abuse and other negative outcomes. OCDC provides parenting skills education, and we
help parents address challenging behaviors with positive and productive strategies. We connect
families to the resources they need to be as stable and healthy as possible. We prepare parents to
advocate for their child’s needs when they graduate to public school. We also invite parents to
volunteer in the classroom so they can be a part of their child’s early learning experiences.

Parent Engagement and Workforce Development

OCDC parents want what’s best for their families. OCDC honors this by offering parent education sessions whenever possible, based on what parents need or want.

OCDC Parent Governance and Leadership

OCDC mentors parents to serve as leaders and partners within the organization. OCDC has two Parent and Community Policy Councils, one for farm worker programs and one for our broader community programs. These councils make policy decisions and support the administration of OCDC, making sure that OCDC is aligned with the needs of the community. Parents also serve on the agency’s Board of Directors, which is responsible for governance of the organization. OCDC coaches and mentors parents to build the leadership skills for these jobs and beyond – OCDC even has parents and former parents serving on committees for the National Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Association.